Disposal container



July 21, 1964 5, ROTH 3,141,609

DISPOSAL CONTAINER Filed Sept. 17, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

A 7702/VEX July 21, 1964 5, ROTH 3,141,609

DISPOSAL CONTAINER Filed Sept. 17, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w 47/ ,1 49) 5/ -f k a /7 I G I 9 O 0 .0 T Q I a Q Q INVENTOR SAUL P077! United States Patent 3,141,609 DISPGSAL CONTR Saul Roth, White Plains, N.Y., assignor to Rodan Industries, Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 224,099 Claims. (Cl. 232-431) This invention relates to containers, and more particularly, to a container for removing rubbish, debris and similar materials.

\ The container of the present invention is particularly adapted for removing debris from a building being wrecked. Heretofore, in the prior art, such debris was removed by wheelbarrows which were filled and then brought down on a hoist or elevator to the street. The wheelbarrows were then emptied of debris onto the street and the debris was then shoveled into a truck.

This prior art method of rubbish disposal involved relatively large labor costs and was ineflicient and time-consuming. These disadvantages are obviated by the container in accordance with the present invention which may be loaded with approximately twelve wheelbarrows of rubbish. The container is provided with castors and is easily moved to the street where a truck lifts the container and empties the rubbish therefrom into a larger container mounted on the truck.

Another important advantage of the present invention is that the contents may be discharged therefrom and the container completely emptied While the container is in a substantially upright position so as to obviate the necessity for inverting the container as is generally required in the prior art. This object is achieved by providing the container with a front opening normally closed by a door which is hinged along its upper edge, and an inclined bottom wall sloping downwardly from the back wall of the container to the front opening so as to permit the contents to slide down and out through the front opening when the door is swung open.

A further object is to provide a container of the character described and having means for lifting and tilting the container during dumping thereof so as to facilitate the sliding of the contents downwardly along the inclined bottom wall of the container.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a simple and economical means for locking the front door in its closed position over the front opening and which permits the door to be quickly and easily unlocked during the dumping operation.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention are inherent in the structure disclosed or will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing the subject container (depicted in solid lines) being lifted and tilted by a truck (depicted in dash-dot lines) during the dumping operation;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the container of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the container with a part of the side Wall broken away to show details of construction;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the container;

FIG. 5 is a partial view in perspective and shows the means for locking the front door of the container; and

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of FIG. 3 and shows one of the pins for lifting the container during the dumping operation.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, and in particular to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 thereof, the reference numeral am ss Patented July 21, 1964 "ice , otherwise to the respective opposite edges of back wall 12.

A horizontally extending front plate 15 is provided along the front upper edge of the container and has its opposite ends secured to a pair of vertical angle irons l6, 17 which are in turn secured to the forward edges of side walls 13, 14 respectively. The front of container 11 is provided with a rectangular opening defined along its upper edge by the horizontally extending lower edge 18 of plate 15 and along its lateral sides by the angle irons 16, 17.

The front opening so defined is normally closed by a front door 19 which is pivotally mounted for outward swinging movement by a series of hinges 2t), 21, 22 secured along the upper edge of door 19 and the lower edge of plate 15. Front door 19 may thus be swung upwardly and outwardly about the axis 23 of the hinges 20, 21, 22 to the open position indicated by the dash-dot lines designated at 19a in PEG. 3.

Referring again to FIG. 3, a bottom wall 24 is inclined forwardly and downwardly and has its rear upper edge provided with an integral upwardly extend-ing flange 25 secured by welding or otherwise to back wall 12. The front lower edge of inclined bottom wall 24 defines the lower edge of the front opening. The inclined lateral edges of bottom wall 24- may be welded or otherwise rigidly secured to side walls 13, 14. It will thus be seen that when front door 19 is in the open position indicated by the reference numeral 19a, the rubbish, debris or other contents within container 11 may slide downwardly along inclined bottom wall 24 and then out of the front opening so as to be discharged from container 11.

In order to facilitate emptying the contents of the container 11, the latter is provided with means for lifting container 11 over a larger container 34a and for tilting container 11 so as to facilitate the sliding of the contents down the inclined bottom wall 24 of the latter. More specifically, each of the side Walls 13, 14 has welded thereto a U-shaped channel or bracket 26 consisting of an intermediate web portion 26a formed integral with a pair of inwardly extending portions 27, 28 which are in turn formed integral with a pair of outwardly projecting flanges 29, 3t) welded to the exterior surface of a respective one of side walls l3, 14.

A cylindrical pin 31 is secured to each of the web por tions 26a. Both pins 31 are coaxially aligned and each pin 31 is provided with a horizontally extending flange 32 on the outer end thereof. As shown in FIG. 1, the lower ends of a pair of chains 33 may be hooked or otherwise engaged with pins 31 so as to enable container 11 to be raised by a truck indicated generally by the reference numeral 34 and shown in dash-dot lines. The details of truck 34 may be conventional and do not constitute part of the present invention.

In order to facilitate sliding of the contents downwardly along inclined bottom wall 24 and outwardly of the front opening, container 11 is provided with means for tilting the latter during the dumping operation. More specifically, and as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, back wall 12 is provided'with a recessed portion 35 along its lower edge and in the central area thereof. Recessed portion 35 projects rearwardly into the clearance space formed by the inclination of bottom wall 24.

Recessed portion 35 comprises a forward wall 36 extending upwardly from the bottom of the container and then arcuately as at 37 to terminate in an upwardly extending flange 38 welded to the inner surface of back wall 12. Recessed portion 35 further comprises a pair of forwardly extending lateral walls 39 to which are secured the upper ends of a pair of vertical legs 4t), 41 of a U-shaped member indicated generally by the reference numeral 42 and having an intermediate horizontal portion 43 formed integral with legs 40, 41.

When container 11 is lifted by truck 34 through chains 33, member 42 may be engaged by a hook or other suitable means (not shown) on truck 34 so as to tilt container 11. about the axis of pins 31 and thereby facilitate the downward sliding of the contents along the inclined bottom wall 24. Recessed portion provides clearance for the hook or other device which engages member 42.

If desired, a horizontally extending bottom plate 44 may be provided along the lower portion of container 11 to lend added strength and rigidity to the construction and also to serve as mounting means for four casters 45 having plastic wheels 46 which permit container 11 to be rolled along floors, ramps and sidewalks for transporting debris from the interior of a building to the street.

The upper edges of back wall 12, side walls 13, 14 and front member 15 define a rectangular top opening which may be closed by a pair of top covers or doors 47, 48. The top opening is bordered by peripherally extending flange strips 49 secured to the upper edges of the respective walls. The flange strip 49 secured to the upper edge of front member 15 is provided with a pair of hinges 50, 51 for hingedly mounting cover 4-7 which extends over the left side of the top opening as viewed in FIG. 2 and said strip 49 is further provided with a pair of hinges 52, 53 for hingedly mounting the other top cover 48 which extends over the right half of the top opening.

It will thus be seen that each of the top covers 47, 48 may be swung upwardly and forwardly about the axis 54 of hinges 50, 51, 52, 53 as shown by the dash-dot lines at 47a and by the arrow at 55 in FIG. 3, thereby uncovering the top opening so as to permit container 11 to be filled with rubbish, debris or other material.

The means for locking front door 19 in its closed position will now be described with reference to FIGURES 2 and 5. This locking means comprises an elongated horizontally extending bar or angle iron pivotally mounted at its intermediate portion by a pivot pin 61 to the outer surface of front door 19. Bar 60 is provided with an integral horizontally projecting flange 62 throughout substantially its entire length except at its opposite ends 63, 64 which are in the form of planar vertical strips or detents adapted to engage within slots 65, 66 formed respectively in a pair of brackets 67, 68. The latter are welded to angle irons 16, 17.

It will be noted that slot extends downwardly from the upper edge 69 of bracket 67 whereas slot 66 extends upwardly from the lower edge 7% of bracket 68. A pair of handles 71, 72 are secured to bar of adjacent opposite ends thereof to permit bar 66 to be manually pivoted about the axis of pin 61 to either the locking position shown in solid lines in FIGURE 2 or the unlocking position shown in dash-dot lines in said figure and indicated by the reference numeral 63a.

When bar 60 is pivoted in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2 from the unlocking position to the locking position, the bar end portion 63 will move downwardly into slot 65 and the bar end portion 64 will move upwardly into slot 66 until the respective end portions 63, 64 abut the respective ends of said slots 65, 66. Front door 19 will thus be held locked in its closed position extending over and closing the front opening of container 11. In order to unlock front door 19, bar 60 is manually pivoted by handles 71, 72 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2 toward the unlocking position shown at 60a, thereby disengaging bar end portions 63, 64 from slots 65, as and permitting front door 19 to swing open.

Although the subject container 11 may be employed in any situation where it is desired to transport material, it is particularly adapted for hauling debris and rubbish out of buildings being wrecked. The container 11 may be filled at the point wheretthe debris is being formed. Either or both of top covers 47, 48 may be opened and container 11 may be filled through the top opening and then rolled along the building hallways to a lift, lowered to the street level, and then rolled to a truck as at 34.

Chains 33 are then attached by conventional means to pins 31 and container 11 is raised by truck 34, the latter being provided with a hook (not shown) to engage member 42 and thereby tilt container 11 in the manner shown in FIGURE 1. Front door 19, which has been unlocked by pivoting bar 60 to its disengaged position, is thus swung open by both its own weight and that of the debris which slides down inclined bottom wall 24 and out through the front opening into the larger container 34a, thereby quickly and easily emptying the container 11.

It will thus be seen that the subject container provides a more economical means for rubbish disposal by reducing the handling time and labor costs heretofore required by prior devices such as Wheelbarrows.

It is to be understood that the specific embodiment shown in the drawings and described above is merely illustrative of one of the many forms which the invention may take in practice without departing from the scope of the invention, delineated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A disposal device comprising a container comprising a back wall and a pair of side walls rigid with the back wall and extending forwardly from the sides thereof, means to rigidly interconnect the front upper ends of said side walls, a wall rigid with said back and side walls and inclined from the back wall forwardly and downwardly to the front lower ends of said side walls and extending from side wall to side wall, a front door mounted for swinging movement about its upper end on a horizontal axis located near the upper ends of the front edges of said side walls, from a closed position in a plane at the front of said container, outwardly to an open position uncovering substantially the whole front of said container, the lower end of said door being located at the front lower end of said inclined wall in the closed position of said door, said container being open at its upper end, uncoverable means to cover the upper open end of said container, and releasable means to latch the door in closed position, the rear upper end of said inclined wall being disposed substantially nearer the lower ends of said side walls than the upper ends thereof, means on said side walls and between the front and rear ends thereof and above the midheight thereof and attachable to means to lift said container upwardly without substantial tilting, and means on the container and located rearwardly of and below said attachable means, and being engageable by means to tilt the upper end of said container forwardly, to facilitate quick drop out of the contents of the container, with the container in tilted condition and with said door unlatched.

2. The combination of claim 1, said back wall having an opening at its lower end, and a forwardly recessed wall fixed to said back wall and disposed below said inclined wall and forwardly of said engageable means to provide clearance for means to engage said engageable means, said engageable means comprising a member having side portions fixed at their upper ends to said back wall and extending downwardly below said back wall and being interconnected by a horizontal portion disposed below said back wall.

3. The combination of claim 1, said attachable means comprising coaxial members projecting outwardly from said side walls and having elongated portions fixed at their outer ends and extending parallel to said side walls.

4. The combination of claim 1, said latch means comprising a horizontal cross-bar centrally pivoted to said front door and located at its outer side and closer to the lower end of the door than to its upper end, a pair of brackets fixed to the front ends of said side walls, and extending forwardly therefrom, one bracket having a notch at its upper side opening upwardly and the other bracket having a notch at its underside opening downwardly, and said cross-bar having outer ends releasably movable from either side of the lower end of the door into said notches to latch said door in closing position.

5. The combination of claim 1, and a plurality of wheels mounted on the lower end of said container for rolling the latter along the ground.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sallade Jan. 8, Brown Mar. 17, Sherman July 23, Mittendorf Mar. 5, Benton Feb. 16, Brunetti Feb. 14, Reeder Mar. 31, Johnson Oct. 26, Croft July 8, Follett Oct. 6, 

1. A DISPOSAL DEVICE COMPRISING A CONTAINER COMPRISING A BACK WALL AND A PAIR OF SIDE WALLS RIGID WITH THE BACK WALL AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY FROM THE SIDES THEREOF, MEANS TO RIGIDLY INTERCONNECT THE FRONT UPPER ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALLS, A WALL RIGID WITH SAID BACK AND SIDE WALLS AND INCLINED FROM THE BACK WALL FORWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY TO THE FRONT LOWER ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALLS AND EXTENDING FROM SIDE WALL TO SIDE WALL, A FRONT DOOR MOUNTED FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT ABOUT ITS UPPER END ON A HORIZONTAL AXIS LOCATED NEAR THE UPPER ENDS OF THE FRONT EDGES OF SAID SIDE WALLS, FROM A CLOSED POSITION IN A PLANE AT THE FRONT OF SAID CONTAINER, OUTWARDLY TO AN OPEN POSITION UNCOVERING SUBSTANTIALLY THE WHOLE FRONT OF SAID CONTAINER, THE LOWER END OF SAID DOOR BEING LOCATED AT THE FRONT LOWER END OF SAID INCLINED WALL IN THE CLOSED POSITION OF SAID DOOR, SAID CONTAINER BEING OPEN AT ITS UPPER END, UNCOVERABLE MEANS TO COVER THE UPPER OPEN END OF SAID CONTAINER, AND RELEASABLE MEANS TO LATCH THE DOOR IN CLOSED POSITION, THE REAR UPPER END OF SAID INCLINED WALL BEING DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY NEARER THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALLS THAN THE UPPER ENDS THEREOF, MEANS ON SAID SIDE WALLS AND BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR ENDS THEREOF AND ABOVE THE MIDHEIGHT THEREOF AND ATTACHABLE TO MEANS TO LIFT SAID CONTAINER UPWARDLY WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL TILTING, AND MEANS ON THE CONTAINER AND LOCATED REARWARDLY OF AND BELOW SAID ATTACHABLE MEANS, AND BEING ENGAGEABLE BY MEANS TO TILT THE UPPER END OF SAID CONTAINER FORWARDLY, TO FACILITATE QUICK DROP OUT OF THE CONTENTS OF THE CONTAINER, WITH THE CONTAINER IN TILTED CONDITION AND WITH SAID DOOR UNLATCHED. 